Painter&#39;s container

ABSTRACT

The painter&#39;s container includes a base and a lid hinged to the base, The base has an interior which is divided into first and second compartments. The first compartment has an upper wall which is spaced apart from the lower wall and which has a number of openings formed therein. One of thy openings has a generally circular side edge and is adapted to receive a paint-can while one or more of the other openings are elongated and parallel to one another and each of which is adapted to receive a cylindrical brush of a paint roller. A partition separates the second compartment into at least two spaces, one of which is of a dimension adapted to receive a paint-tray. A number of resiliently deformable clips extend into the interior of the lid. The clips are arranged in horizontally spaced pairs and between the clips in each pair, a brush, a paint roller, or a scraper or the segments of a handle for extending the reach of a painter is received. When such articles are so received, they are releasably secured to the lid.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to containers for brushes, scrapers, paint-cans and other accessories used by commercial painters and more particularly to a container which, when opened, converts to a trolley for cans and trays of paint and a large number of different accessories which a commercial painter requires in his trade. The container is mounted on castors or wheels so that it may be easily moved without the necessity of lifting it and it folds into a relatively compact size when it is not in use for ready transport.

Commercial painters require many tools in their trade. Paint, brushes and rollers, of course, are required as are paint-trays, tools such as screw drivers for removing such things as face plates over electrical switches and outlets, plaster knives for removing bumps and protrusions in walls which are to be painted and putty knives and quick drying plaster for filling in indentations in walls. Poles are also required for attaching to the handles of brushes and rollers for extending the reach of the painters.

Containers are known for holding paint, brushes, rollers and all the tools and other accessories tat a commercial painter requires in his trade. Examples of such containers are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,672 to Offerson; No. 5,190,303 to Scliuamachcr ct al.; No. 5,002,293 to Goftselig as well as U.S. Design Pat. Nos. 219,649 to Saleman et al; No. 303,029 to Friskey; and No. 295,099 to Gailaugher et at.

The containers described in the foregoing patents arc well as in patents showing similar subject matter have many disadvantages. Some are quite bulky and do not fold into a compact size when not in use. Others are complicated of construction and expensive to build. Still others have room for cans and trays of paint but room for little else.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

I have invented a painter's tray which overcomes many of the problems of known containers such as those described above. The container folds into a compact size when not in use for ready storage and transport. The container holds a large number tools and accessories required by a commercial painter and displays them in a way that makes it easy for the painter to find what he wants, As well the container is relatively simple of construction and accordingly inexpensive to build.

Briefly, the container of my invention includes a base and a lid hinged to the base. The base has an interior defined by a lower wall and side and end walls which are upright and which define an enclosure. The interior is divided into two compartments, one of which has an upper wall which is spaced apart from the lower wall and which has a plurality of openings formed therein. One of the openings has a generally circular side edge and is adapted to receive a paint-can while one or more of the other openings are elongated and parallel to one another and each of which is adapted to receive a cylindrical brush of a paint roller.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The painter's container of the invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the container when it is closed. The manner in which the container may be carried is shown in that drawing;

FIG. 2 is an elevation of the container when the container is open;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the container showing its interior.

Like reference refer to like parts throughout the description of the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to the drawings, the painter's container of the invention, generally 10, has a base 12 and a lid 14 hinged to the base. The base has an interior defined by a lower wall 16 and side and end walls 18, 20, respectively. The walls are upright and describe an enclosure. The interior of the base is divided into first and second compartments, 22, 24 separated by a partition 25.

The first compartment has an upper wall 26 which is spaced apart from the lower wall 16 and which has a number of openings 28 formed therein. One of the openings 28 a has a generally circular side edge and is adapted to receive a paint-can 30. The other openings 29 b are elongated and parallel to one another and each is adapted to receive a cylindrical brush 32 of a conventional paint roller.

The second compartment 24 has a partition 34 which separates the compartment into two spaces 36, 38. The former space 36 is of a dimension which is adapted to receive a paint-tray 40 while the latter space 38 is adapted to receive one or more rolls of masking tape, screw drivers and other tools that are used by painters (not illustrated).

Lid 14 has an interior 50 defined by an upper wall 52 and an outer wall 54 which defies an enclosure. The upper wall has a number of resiliently deformable clips 56 which project into the interior of the lid. The clips are of conventional construction and are grouped into horizontally spaced pairs. Between the clips in each pair a brush 58 or a paint roller 60 or a paint scraper 62 is received. When such articles are so received, the clips releasably secure them to the lid.

The container is provided with castors 64 on its lower wall so that when the base is resting or a floor or other horizontal surface as illustrated in FIG. 2, the container may easily be rolled along the floor or surface such by the painter's foot. The container is also provided with a handle 64 so that the container can be easily carried as illustrated in FIG. 1.

It will be understood, of course, that modifications can be made in the structure of the painter's container as illustrated and described herein, without departing from the scope and purview of the invention as defined in the appended claims. 

1. A container for a painter having a base and a lid hinged to said base, said base having an interior defined by a lower wall and side and end walls which are upright and which define an enclosure, said interior being divided into first and second compartments, said first compartment having an upper wall which is spaced apart from said lower wall and which has a plurality of openings formed therein, one of which openings has a generally circular side edge and is adapted to receive a paint-can while second and third of which openings are elongated and parallel to one another and each of which elongated openings are adapted to receive a cylindrical brush of a paint roller.
 2. The container of claim 1 wherein said second compartment has a partition which separates said second compartment into at least two spaces, one of which space is of a dimension adapted to receive a paint-tray.
 3. The container of claim 1 wherein said lid has an interior defined by an upper wall and an outer wall which defies an enclosure; said upper wall having a plurality of resiliently deformable clips which are arranged in a plurality of horizontally spaced pairs between which pairs a plurality of brushes are adapted to be received and when so received are releasably secured to said lid.
 4. The container of claim further including a plurality of castors mounted to said lower wall such that said container can be rolled along a generally horizontal surface.
 5. A container for a painter hang a base and a lid hinged to said base, said base having an interior defined by a lower wall and side and end walls which are upright and which describe a first enclosure, said interior being divided into first and second compartments, said first compartment having an upper wall which is spaced apart from said lower wall and which has a plurality openings formed therein, one of which openings has a generally circular side edge and is adapted to receive a paint-can while second and third of which openings are elongated and parallel to one another and each of which elongated openings are adapted to receive a paint roller, said second compartment having a partition which separates said second compartment into at least two spaces, one of which space is of a dimension adapted to receive a paint-tray, said lid having an interior defined by an upper wall and an outer wall which defies a second enclosure; said upper wall having a plurality of resiliently deformable clips which are arranged in a plurality of horizontally spaced pairs between which a plurality of cylindrical brushes for a paint-roller are adapted to be received and when so received are releasably secured to said lid.
 6. The container of claim 5 wherein certain of said clips are arranged such that a paint-roller and paint scraper are adapted to be received and when so received are releasably secured to said lid.
 7. The container of claim 5 further including a plurality of castors mounted to said lower wall such that said container can be rolled along a generally horizontal surface. 